


Path to a New Dawn

by Wondy_W



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Blood Magic, Character Development, Eventual Romance, F/M, Possible Character Death, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2019-02-09 05:25:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12881085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wondy_W/pseuds/Wondy_W
Summary: Arthur Trevelyan wasn't expecting much from this trip to the Frostbacks. Really, he was only going because he wanted to escort his sister, not to mention the letter he had to give to his brother. So where did it all went wrong?





	Path to a New Dawn

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Before we start, there are some things that you guys should know: English is not my first language, so expect some mistakes and I apologize in advance for them. This is my first DA fic and I am writing it while playing for the second time. It will mostly follow the game’s main plot, but as I write things can start to diverge.
> 
> I changed some things up to suit what I wanted for this, one being that the Ostwick Circle still didn’t fall nor did they participate in the vote. They remained neutral, more about it will be explained as the story goes.
> 
> I have no fixed days to post as of right now, but I hope to be able to write often.  
> I accept constructive criticism and feel free to correct any gramar mistakes you may find, it will help me edit it later. And more tags may be added later in the story too.
> 
> I hope you guys like this!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age or anything related to it. I only own Arthur, Gentiana, Elliot and Rhysalla.

“You do know I can take care of myself... Right?” , a blonde woman asked her companion. “The Circle chose me for a reason.”

“Yes, sister, I know but Father asked me to personally deliver a letter to Troyan,” the woman rolled her eyes

“He could have sent Elys, you are his second heir, Arthur. And Troyan hates us”

“I volunteered. I know you can take care of yourself but I feel better coming along.” Arthur smiled. “And Troyan is just sulking.”

“For almost sixteen years? He hates us, Artie, you got to accept it already”

“Gentiana, that is enough. Troyan doesn’t hate us, he is our brother,” Arthur said, his tone indicating the end of that conversation.

Gentiana found herself rolling her eyes again, crossing her arms across her chest before sighing. Her brother was too stubborn for his own good, they had had this same conversation yesterday and he still could not see how stupid he was being.

She didn’t need protection, she didn’t need her brother escorting her because one of them risking their lives was enough and her life had been in danger for sometime... That damn war. But it wasn’t just her brother’s overprotective tendencies that were contributing to her being annoyed. The whole of that travel was getting to her last nerves.They had been travelling for Maker-knows-how-long and they were still. Not. There. And so, Gentiana was irritated. Not used to long travels, on foot or horseback, she let it show that she had been sheltered for a long time.

“How long till we get there, Artie?”

“Four more days... Isn’t that right, Elliot?” Arthur asked one of the men that were accompanying them.

Elliot had come to protect Arthur, a guard from their Family Estate in Ostwick. There were six more guards and a Templar. The Templar wasn’t there for Arthur but for Gentiana, his charge, and becuse he had being appointed to represent what had lasted from the Ostwick Templars. He wasn’t bad, most of those remaining in Ostwick weren’t but it didn’t mean that he gave up on looking at Gentiana like she would blow someone or something up at any given moment. Yet another thing on that travel that was making her go mad.

“Have you ever visited the Temple of Sacred Ashes, Kinght-Templar Daleth?” Arthur asked the quiet warrior. He was bored, he had nothing to do aside from making small talk, so he decided to get to know the man that would have travelled alone with his sister had he not tagged along. And because Gentiana was mad at life and trying to talk to her would only re-start the Troyan dicussion.

“No, Ser. But I heard stories from others in the Order, they all tell me it is maginificent.” The Templer answered, not looking at the younger man.

Arthur frowned, noticing it. He could guess why most at the party never looked him or his sister directly in the eyes when talking to them. It was the color. A vibrant and deep violet with blue circling the pupils. Arthur admitted they were a bit unsettling, most acquainted with the Lady Trevelyan and her offspring said that their eye color was unnatural, that their gaze could see inside anyone’s soul. But regardless of how much his eyes made people uncomfortable, Arthur couldn’t help but think it was a somewhat rude attitude not to at least look in his direction when holding a conversation with him.

“I see...” Arthur trailed off, not really having something to talk about.

He looked at his sister, who was frowning and mumbling to herself. He held a laugh, his sister had never been an outdoor type of girl, even when they were young. Just four more days and he would be free to tease her without getting shocked.

 

* * *

 

Finally! FI. NAL. LY!

Gentiana almost cried when the first signs of civilization started to appear in the midst of that blasted snow. She must have shown her absolute happiness and utter relief, because Arthur took one look at her and started laughing. Loudly.

“Artie!” she glared at her brother. “You... You should... Should have seen your face!” And he continued to laugh. When he stopped, Gentiana was still glaring at him. “ Come on, Genti! Smile! You will finally get that bath you’ve being pestering me about.” At that, his sister’s gaze softened, a small smile threatening to appear.

 _A bath. A hot, hot bath to scare the cold away_ , Gentiana thought. She had been fantasizing that moment since they entered Ferelden.

They arrived at Haven the night before the Conclave, which Gentiana thought to be a pretty good timing since she wouldn’t have any company had they arrived days earlier. Being a Circle mage never seemed more disadvantegeous to her. The rebel mages would all heve glared at her for being some kind of “traitor” and would never say a word to her. The other Circle mages – if there was any outside Ostwick and, maybe, Orlais – wouldn’t be open to much conversation, they would be too suspicious of any other mage at the Conclave. And the Templars... Maker, Gentiana could bet that had they the power, most would try to kill all of the mages or make them Traquil.

She also wouldn’t have been able to stay with Arthur. He would be running all over Haven, training or trying to expand the Trevelyans reach by meeting with the nobles that had gathered, and she couldn’t see how having his twin mage sister trailing after him would help.

“I will be going to my room, Artie. We will see each other tomorrow, right? After the Conclave has ended?” Gentiana asked her brother.

“Yeah. I will be waiting for you just outside the room.” Arthur said, the smiled, “I will be at the tavern should you want to still talk to me today.”

“Don’t get drunk... And please don’t get all charming and chummy with someone. You know that Mother will have a fit if the guards tell her.” Genti warned, but Artie rolled his eyes, not really worrying about it.

“Don’t worry, sweet sister. I promise to keep my alcohol intake to the minimum. And you know I don’t do one night stands.” He smirked, messing his blonde hair with one of his hands. He winked and then he was off, the guards after him.

Gentiana had a small smile while motioning her head from one side to another. Her brother is a sweet guy, caring and intelligent but he still is only a man, an unmarried one at that and, as such, he liked to have... Fun every once in a while. She couldn’t say that she approved of him charming innocent girls or drinking himself to a state, but as long as he was careful she wouldn’t put her nose in his business. Maker knows how many times she argued with Arthur about his love for alcohol. And besides... He never went drinking in the Free Marches, only in Ferelden where the Trevelyans still didn’t have that much of a name and he could pass by as a normal villager.

It didn’t take her long to reach the stables, leave her horse, and then reach her room. Now she could finally take her bath.

 

* * *

 

The tavern was full and Arthur’s smile grew larger at each drink he downed. He wasn’t alone – of course not. Arthur Trevelyan was never alone. His drinking partners always changed, he could be with his father’s guards, or a girl he just met, or even an animal... Thing was, he was never alone.

“Come now, Elliot, you have to loosen up!” the Trevelyan exclaimed to the guard, who was looking for any sign of danger to his sire. “No one knows or cares about who I am, we aren’t in the Marches, you can relax!” Arthur continued, putting a beer in front of the guard.

Arthur already had flusehd cheeks, violet eyes twinkling with joy and blonde hair a mess. He certainly didn’t look like the normally well-kept, quiet and well-behaved second heir of the House Trevelyan. The boy liked to drink, every guard of the Family knew that, but he never gave much trouble, even if once in a blue moon he did dissapear with some girl.

“Shouldn’t you be trying to find Ser Troyan, sire?” the guard asked, now quietly sipping his beer.

“I’ll have plenty of time in the morning, my friend. And I am in no hurry, it isn’t like he will vanish from the barracks.” Said Arthur, looking around the tavern.

He loved this atmosphere. The people drinking, laughing and enjoying good music and company. A happy place, loud and so different from his life. It was rare for him to go drinking in Ostwick, or anywhere in the Free Marches since he was known there. But whenever he visited Ferelden... It was always a good time, even if time between his travels was long. Still looking around the tavern, he found someone he liked.

It was an elf, a pretty one with auburn hair reaching her shoulders. Her eyes were big and expressive, even if he couldn’t see their color, he was sure it was beautiful. She had high cheekbones, a straight nose that gave her some sort of aristocratic air. Her mouth was painted red, making her lips seem plump. Arthur’s eyes followed her as she glided gracefully through the tavern customers, an empty tray in her small hands. She wore an apron over the red woollen dress. A really interesting and pretty sight. Elliot followed his sire’s gaze to the elf, already expecting to find a beautiful lady.

Elliot grew up with Arthur, only four years older than his sire the guard knew the young Trevelyan well enough. Elliot couldn’t really blame Arthur for his interest, the noble never got to meet with normal people, normal girls, it was only nobles and their daughters trying to convince the Lady Trevelyan that their House was worth her son’s hand. _She is beautiful_ , thought Elliot, also accompanying the elf girl with his hazel eyes.

“I hope you are not thinking what I think you are, Arthur Trevelyan.” Arthur’s and Elliot’s heads snapped to the voice in a speed they didn’t know they possessed.

Gentiana stood there with an arched eyebrow and crossed arms, judging violet eyes looking from one man to another. Her blonde hair was out of its usual bun, still wet and falling past her shoulders almost to her hips, her cheeks were red, from the cold, as was her nose. A midnight blue dress now replaced the robes she had been wearing for the journey, her staff nowhere in sight. Arthur gave her a sheepish smile, one hand moving to scratch the back of his neck while Elliot took the chance to slip away. He certainly wasn’t going to stay there to see Lady Gentiana scolding her twin when he could talk to the pretty elf.

“And what did you think was going through my head, darling sister?” Arthur asked his sister, sighing when he saw Elliot make his way to the elf. The hand on his neck went to rest on the table as Gentiana claimed the sit that his guard and friend had previously occupied.

“You were thinking about how good it would be to have some elven company tonight.” Gentiana said, taking his beer from his hand and sipping, “I wouldn’t have interfered but your black haired friend looked so awestruck that I had to take pity on him. You don’t need to get all the girls, brother.” Her tone was one of sarcasm, violet eyes glinting in amusement.

“Weren’t you going to stay in your bath for the rest of the night?” Arthur grunted, looking at Elliot at the other side of the tavern. Damn bastard was fast, already making the pretty elf blush and laugh.

“You are sulking, Artie” Gentiana said, now almost laughting at the pout her brother was almost forming.

“Am not!” he snapped, grabing his beer tankard back. “You still didn’t answer me.” He wasn’t mad, just really annoyed that he didn’t even have the chance to talk to the girl before Elliot charmed her – he shouldn’t have teached him how to flirt.

“It grew boring, so I came to have some quality time with you” the Trevelyan girl said, her tone soft.

Arthur looked at her, his features relaxing into a smile, annoyance forgotten. The siblings hadn’t spent time just the two of them for years. There was always someone watching, always duties to attend. The fact that Gentiana spent most of her life in the White Spire of Val Royeaux didn’t help either, and even after she came to the Ostwick Circle they couldn’t see each other often. This trip to the Frostbacks was their chance to be themselves – no guards, Templars, mages or nobles watching their every move, waiting for a mistake.

“Have I ever told you about the time Mother dragged me by the ear after she found me in a tavern at Starkhaven when we were visiting our cousins?” Gentiana smiled, asking a passing serving girl for a beer, and Arthur continued. “There I was, beer in hand trying to charm this beautiful brunette when Mother just...” The night went on, stories were exchanged, jokes told and the alcohol flowing. The siblings didn’t care about the painful headaches they would have in the morning, they were together, having fun like they hadn’t had for years.

 

* * *

 

Gentiana woke up with a groan.

The sunlinght bathing the room hurted her eyes and made her head ache. _Maker_ , she thought, _I will never drinking this much again_. She tried to move but a weight was holding her down. _Arthur_ , she had almost forgotten that they had passed out in her room at the inn. She tried to get out from under his arm again, only for him to strengthen his hold, mumbling something about a pillow getting away. She rolled her eyes, turning to face him and, with some effort, she freed her right hand to tap his cheek.

“Artie, wake up. Artie.” He didn’t even move, “Artie, wake up. You’re blocking my way out.” Again, she received no response but she still spent five minutes trying before giving up and letting her magic flow to her fingetips.

Little electric currents were soon crackling in between her fingers. Smiling devilishly, she used one finger to poke he brother’s cheek. He woke up with a start.

“SHIT!” Arthur let out rather loudly, his eyes still half lidded, a hand on his cheek as he sat up on the bed. Gentiana couldn’t help bur laugh at him as she got up.

“That is what you get for trapping me.” She said, gathering new clothes to change into.

“I dind’t even know I was trapping you! Damn it, Genti!”

“You would have made me late for the Conclave,” she said, stepping behind a screen to change her clothes. “And don’t you have to find our dear, dear brother Troyan?”

Arthur’s violet orbs went wide and he cursed, getting up hastily from the bed and making his way to the door. He still had to pass by his room to change clothes and grab the letter he was meant to give Troyan.

“Don’t forget to wait for me in the Temple.” Was the last thing he heard his sister say before he was out of the room.

Later, the sky was painted green.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry that this is such a short chapter, but it is only the Prologue. I promise to try and make them longer.  
> Hope you guys liked it!


End file.
